A Mask of Emotion
by fang shinobi
Summary: Ino and Sai are friends. I think and believe otherwise.
1. 1 Inspiration

**A Mask of Emotion **

Drabbles between Ino and Sai.

Done during boring lectures of Physics, Biology and English. I thank you all, Sir One, Sir Oh and Ma'am Unorthodox. Love ya all.

For my friend _artsydolle`_, inosai rocks better than shikaino…

**Disclaimer: **I cannot claim ownership over such a magnificent work as _Masashi Kishimoto-sensei_'s _Naruto_.

**1. Inspiration **written late February 2007

It was a breezy spring day. After all, it was that time of year when the atmosphere was enjoyable and cool. The sun seemed to be lazily napping behind the conveniently placed blanket of fluffy clouds, letting only an adequate amount of sunlight filter through. Birds were chirping joyfully, as all the other sounds of the season permeated through the relaxing atmosphere. It was a lovely day. In other words, _perfect_.

But not for a certain blond kunoichi. For Yamanaka Ino, it was pure torture. She was in her parents' flower shop, tending to the flowers and costumers, as if there were any to entertain. It was a wonderful day outside, but she was still stuck watching the shop.

She sat behind the counter, reading some floral magazine from the previous year. Finding the outdated mag too boring, she set it aside and rested her hands on her arms on the counter top, wishing that the day would end sooner.

Suddenly, the chime hanging above the door clamored, and she jolted up, shouting, "I'm up! I'm up!" She glanced around the empty shop. She looked at the door and saw that it was swaying a bit from the playful breeze, ringing the offending chime. "Man, business is slow," she grumbled, yearning to step out into the cheery day to have some fun.

She set her head back on her hands, forcing herself to nap yet again. A few minutes passed, yet the sweet escape of sleep was more elusive than she had expected. The chime rang once again, but she ignored it. It was probably the wind again.

It came as a huge surprise to her when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She jerked up and shrieked in surprise. She was a ninja, trained and hardened in battle. But all her years of experience dealing with surprise encounters seemed to have slipped away at that very moment. She wanted to scold herself for her carelessness (and for being caught sleeping on the job), but all thoughts of how unprofessional she was vanished as it was replaced by sheer embarrassment at the sight of her unexpected guest.

"S-sai!" she muttered, an incredulous look on her face. But why would he be here anyway? At least she realized how someone managed to sneak up on her. He was an Anbu after all. He was capable of sneaking up on even the most skilled shinobi.

"Konnichiwa, Gorgeous," the ebony-haired nin greeted her with his usual smile. "Are you okay?" he added, his face taking on an expression akin to worry.

Seeing the look of concern on his face, the blond kunoichi couldn't help blushing. It was a known fact that Sai was not too generous with his facial expressions. Knowing that he was exerting an effort for her made her feel that she actually meant something to him. _In what way though?_

She shook those thoughts away and straightened up. "I'm okay," she said reassuringly.

He smiled again. It was one of those smiles which were _not totally void of emotions_ yet seemed to be hiding something else underneath. This made Ino sigh inwardly. She knew that he had somehow started recovering those emotions that he had long since forgotten, though he had trouble expressing them. She wished she could see one of his genuine smiles, something she was sure he reserved for his closest friend, Naruto.

"What brings you here?" she asked as she slipped out of the counter. "Are you buying flowers for someone?" _Someone? _she thought derisively.

"Not really," he replied cheerfully as he scanned the flowers on display. "I'm just thinking of buying flowers for a painting. I've been having a hard time figuring out what I want to paint… So I thought I'd paint an _ikebana _for starters."

Ino felt a wave of relief wash over her._ At least I don't need to worry about him courting girls with _my_ flowers_, she thought. _He probably doesn't know it's a romantic gesture… yet… _Of course, she couldn't deny her apparent infatuation towards the young Anbu. But she couldn't readily admit it either. She really liked him, but if she wanted him that much, it would've been too easy. After all, unlike Sasuke's case, he actually returned her attention. And there wasn't an eternal rival like Sakura around breathing down her neck every time she'd be around him. It seemed so… wrong…

"So you have an artist's block?" she asked teasingly.

He nodded his head, his face taking on a serious expression. "Its strange," he remarked. "When I didn't have emotions, I just kept on drawing. I drew landscapes, trees, abstracts that made no sense… Now…" The grin returned to his face and a slight chuckle escaped from his lips. "I've realized hat I constantly needed to be motivated. It's very tiring…"

"Now you know how it is to be emotionally burdened like the rest of us," Ino said melodramatically. "Hm… Oh, I have an idea…" She took off her apron she and threw it on the countertop.

She took his hand in hers and pulled him out into the street. "Do you see what I see?" she asked as she took in the sights and sounds before her.

"Yes, I do, but…" he said hesitantly, confused of what she was talking about. "It's just Konoha." Busy, lively, crazy Konoha.

She shook her head and said, "Look closer, Sai. You're supposed to be the artist here. Listen. Can you see how lovely the clouds look? Or the pastel color of the sky behind them? Can you hear the birds chirping? Or the children's laughter?" When she saw an even more confused expression on his face, she bent down and picked up a wildflower by the side of the street. "Do you see this?" he nodded. "Isn't it beautiful in its own way?"

"Ano… Ino-chan… Why are you telling me these things?"

"Because, silly," she replied, twirling the flower with her fingers, "because all things, no matter how simple, tiny or unattractive they may seem, can be beautiful when you put them into perspective. No matter how insignificant something is, you can use it as an inspiration. You can make it come to life with a portrait or a sketch. The most beautiful art may be inspired by the most unexpected object. It's not really that hard to find inspiration. It's everywhere."

She looked up at him and smiled. He returned the gesture, surprising her with what she saw. In that smile was a bright vivid emotion – one she couldn't quite put a name to though. He seemed to be grateful nonetheless. "Thanks, Ino-chan," he said.

The kunoichi turned away quickly, hiding the blush forming on her cheeks. "It's nothing," she said. "I'm just glad I could help a friend."

-

"Ne, Sai, you seemed to be inspired today," Naruto remarked as he observed his artist friend at work on the canvas, which was now overflowing with color. On a bright sunny and somewhat abstract background, the ebony-haired shinobi was painting a wide assortment of exquisitely detailed flowers, which he was basing off a lovely _ikebana _made by Ino.

The blond teen was sitting on a stool near Sai, watching him work. Naruto had stopped by earlier that day to invite the off-duty Anbu if he maybe wanted to hang out. But when he saw the artist at work, he decided to stay and watch. It was actually quite a miracle for anything quite so passive to attract the hyper self-proclaimed Hokage-to-be's attention, as he was not the type to sit around doing nothing.

Sai looked out the wide window before answering his friend. Past the bushy crown of leaves just outside, Konoha could be seen in all its wondrous glory. The village was as busy as usual, its sounds drifting into the room. The sight was just as crazy, the randomness of all the colors and shapes would remind one of a child's messy toy box. But somewhere in this unruly landscape was the inspiration he had been looking for. And that something – or someone – just gave him an idea.

"It seems that I am," he finally answered as he started adding something to the background. It was a girl, her arms outstretched around the blossoms, as if she were enveloping them in a gentle embrace.

Naruto blinked dumbly, faintly recognizing the new figure in the backdrop. The girl had no distinct features except for the golden honey of her flowing hair. _It looks like…_ He shook his head, brushing the idea aside. _Nah…_

"Great work!" he remarked about the painting with a wide grin across his face.

Sai smiled back – with one of those smiles which were _not totally void of emotions _yet seemed to be hiding something else underneath.

-

**Author's note: **Drabbles are not really my thing, but I plan to make this a weekly installment. I have a few more to submit, but I'd appreciate reviews. Check out my DBG; it has InoSai as well. Review please!

**Next installment:** 2. Gifts

**Side notes: **

-_Ikebana _is Japanese flower arrangement.

-_Dumbly _does not means _stupidly_. It means _mutely_, as in _unable to speak_.


	2. 2 Gifts

**A Mask of Emotion **

Drabbles between Ino and Sai.

Done during boring lectures of Physics, Biology and English. I thank you all, Sir One, Sir Oh and Ma'am Unorthodox. Love ya all.

For my friend _artsydolle`_, inosai rocks better than shikaino…

**Disclaimer: **I cannot claim ownership over such a magnificent work as _Masashi_ _Kishimoto-sensei_'s _Naruto_.

**2. Gifts **written March 2, 2007

"What's this for?" Sai asked, confused, blinking at the strange colorful box-shaped object presented before him.

"It's a gift, silly," the blond kunoichi standing before him said with a chuckle.

"Oh," was his reply. He took the present from her hands. "So… this is what a gift looks like," he added as he started examining the item as if it was some sort of bomb. "I've never read how one looks like before."

He had been in his apartment, working on a project, when Ino appeared at his doorstep, offering him the peculiar item. Gift-giving was never an Anbu tradition, especially in the _Ne_ division. Receiving a present was quite a confusing dilemma all in its own for the young shinobi.

"Well, open it," Ino excitedly urged him.

"Um… wouldn't it be more proper if I let you in first?" he queried. "I mean, it is common courtesy for the–"

Before he could continue stalling any longer, the blond kunoichi had already nudged him inside, plopped him on the sofa and set herself beside him, prodding him to open her gift once again.

Seeing the exuberant look on her face, Sai couldn't help asking, "Is opening a gift supposed to be this exciting?"

"Of course," Ino readily replied. "It's the suspense that causes the excitement. Aren't you excited to find out what's inside? I know I'm excited to see your reaction. Aren't you excited?" she remarked all in one breath, quicker than Sai could keep up with.

When she saw the puzzled look on his face return, she just said, calmly this time around, "Just open it, ne…"

So with a sigh, the raven-haired shinobi started to reluctantly open the gift. He did so with utmost caution brought upon by his uncertainty and unfamiliarity with the 'proper' rituals of opening a gift. He carefully unraveled the wrapping paper, revealing a plain box underneath.

"A box?" he asked.

Ino broke out into hysterical laughter. "No, Sai, the box isn't the present; you have to open it."

He lifted the lid as he was told to and took out the item inside. It was soft and fluffy. And yellow. And had limbs. And big button eyes and nose. And big round ears and a pink tongue. "Um… a bear?"

Ino squealed excitedly. "Do you like it? Isn't it adorable?" she raved. "It's so cute, isn't it? I made it for you!"

"Oh," Sai remarked, his pale face a blank canvas.

"Don't you like it?" the kunoichi asked, her face dropping.

"No, it's not that. I like it, but… It's just that I've never received a gift before… much less a bear."

"Oh." It was her turn to say this.

"It's okay," the raven-haired ninja assured her, offering her one of his signature smiles. "But then, I've been wondering… I don't believe there's any occasion today. Why the gift?"

"You probably haven't read about this," she replied, "but being my friend is reason enough, don't you think?"

"You said you made it," he said after some thought.

Ino nodded her head. "It took me a lot of work. But it's worth it, since it's for you." Saying this made her feel awful. She was giving him the bear under the pretense that she liked him as a friend. She knew she liked him in a different way, so pretending she just wanted to be friends was quite… difficult…

As she was preoccupied with her thoughts about him, an awkward silence fell between them for a while. He was the first one to break it though. "Ino, can I name her?"

Ino chuckled lightly, forcing herself to seem amused. "Sure you can name 'her'. I'm surprised though that you managed to choose a gender already."

Sai gazed down at the stuffed animal he had set on his lap. It had soft yellow fur that glistened like delicate sunlight. Its turquoise eyes were orbs of the softest blue. It seemed nice and friendly. Just like…

"Well, what do you want to name it?" she asked. He thought she had suddenly become uncomfortable a few minutes ago, but seeing her more cheerful this time around made him think otherwise.

He hesitated before saying, "I want to name it Ino."

The blonde laughed genuinely this time and said, "That's really funny. Why would you want that?"

"Because it reminds me of you."

Ino was flabbergasted. "Are you saying I look like a bear?!"

Sai smiled his mysterious smile and said, "No, but you and Ino-kuma here are both pretty and sunny. At least that's what I think."

The kunoichi blushed, not the least bit affected by his gaze. She didn't mind him seeing her redden, which was strange, because she had always felt shy around him.

"Sai, I think I need to go now," she said after a while. "I think I still have a few chores to do at home," she added with a chuckle.

She got up and was surprised when he did the same.

"You don't have to…" she started.

"No, I do," he replied. "It wouldn't be polite if I didn't."

Polite. He was always just _polite_. It made Ino wonder if he only entertained her due to his politeness. She shrugged the idea off indifferently and said, "Sure, I guess."

He escorted her to the door where she said goodbye.

"Ano… Ino," he started. He paused and said, "Thanks."

"No big," she replied, "I actually enjoyed making the bear… er… Ino-kuma…"

"No, I didn't mean the bear," he said, "though I appreciate it as well. I wanted to thank you for what you said back there…"

"You're welcome," she answered. "Don't mention it. I–"

To her surprise, she suddenly felt his arms around her, her cheeks pressed against his chest. He was holding her tightly, making her feel out of breath. His chest and arms felt hard against her skin, but no matter how uncomfortable it seemed, she didn't feel the least bit awkward.

She had never been this close to him before. Never in her wildest dreams had she ima – no, wait, she has… In fact, she had thought about this moment many times before: the day he held her in his arms and said he lo–

She stiffened at the thought. _Sai only thinks of me as a friend. I–_

She felt his arms ease their grip around her, and she looked up to see his stoic face. "What was that for?" she asked. "Oh, wait, I know now. You've read about how hugs could be gifts to friends, right?"

He shook his head, his face an unreadable mask. "I just felt like it." He slipped back into the door of his apartment and said, "Thanks again." He slid the door close and left her gaping at the doorway.

Now it was her turn to be confused.

-

**Author's note: **Drabbles are not really my thing, but I plan to make this a weekly installment. I have a few more to submit, but I'd appreciate reviews. Review please!

**Next installment:** 3. Taking Hold

**Side notes: **

-_Ne _is the _Root _division of the Anbu.

-No, I don't believe that Sai could be so naïve. I just like it that way (evil face).

-Does anyone think that I change from one mood to another too quickly? No? Good.

-Drabble based off _Cardcaptor Sakura_'s bear-giving episode, so if you've seen it, then you get my implication.


	3. 3 Taking Hold

A Mask of Emotion

Drabbles between Ino and Sai.

Done during boring lectures of Physics, Biology and English. I thank you all, Sir One, Sir Oh and Ma'am Unorthodox. Love ya all.

For my friend _artsydolle`_, inosai rocks better than shikaino…

**Disclaimer: **I cannot claim ownership over such a magnificent work as _Masashi Kishimoto-sensei_'s _Naruto_.

**3. Taking Hold **written March 12, 2007

Ino blinked blankly at the iris she was pointlessly tinkering with in her hand. She sat cross-legged on a stool, her elbows propped on the table where pots and pots of a variety of flowers lay. A notebook opened up to a blank page sat by the pot of flowers. Her other hand held a pen, tapping away at the wooden tabletop.

She was in the flower shop's backroom, supposedly taking inventory of the flowers and supplies they had in stock. It was a tiring task not intended for one person to accomplish, but she had taken it upon herself just for the sake of doing something. She wanted to keep her mind occupied, but she seemed to be doing the exact opposite.

Her mind had been drifting back to Sai. And he wasn't leaving her head too easily.

She had acknowledged that he thought of her as nothing more than a friend. But that incident at his house made her feel otherwise.

_But he doesn't know how to act around people_, she though, trying hard to convince herself. _So he probably didn't know what he was doing… _She tapped the pen harder on the wooden table and bit her lip thoughtfully. _But then again, human nature is instinctive…_ She kept on musing over these thoughts, the task at hand forgotten.

Suddenly, the chime above the door clamored noisily, indicating the arrival of a customer. Ino groaned in annoyance, silently scolding herself for forgetting to lock the front door while she was doing the inventory. Her parents were out, so there wasn't anyone else around to watch the shop, so it had to be closed for the day.

She lazily got out of her seat, muttering to herself. She turned around and started heading for the backroom door when she bumped into someone familiar.

"Oh, hey, Sai, it's you–" She stopped in mid-sentence and stared at him dumbly.

"Konnichiwa, Gorgeous," came his usual greeting. He smiled at her cheerfully – at least that was how it seemed. "Busy back here?"

"No, not at all," she replied with a forced smile. Seeing him here was the last thing she wanted. She needed to clear her mind, and his being here would just fog it up all over again.

Before she could make up another excuse to convince him, he had already taken in the sight of the mess in the backroom. Boxes lay around the floor, their contents partly set out in a heap around them. Uprooted plants and some cuttings rested on the counter, the pots they were supposed to be transplanted in waiting around. The door to the greenhouse lay open, a dripping hose and bucket promptly set before it, perhaps because the flowers still needed tending to. The forgotten record book sat on the table, a blank page staring on forlornly.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked.

-

About an hour later, they had cleared the backroom, taken inventory of the materials and packed them away. But over that span of time that Sai had been helping her, Ino had not said anything else other than instructions on what to do. She could think of nothing to talk about anyway.

"So do I get to water the plants now?" he asked excitedly when they had finished putting away the boxes.

She glanced his way, thinking how naïve he seemed. She then withdrew her gaze and settled it on the task at hand: the few unpotted plants and cuttings waiting to be transplanted.

"I need to finish transplanting these first," she said as she absentmindedly pushed away one of the smaller soil-laden pots to make way for the plants. As she did so, she unknowingly revealed a big black gecko's hiding spot. She shrieked in surprise, practically jumping into the equally surprised Sai's arms. "Ohmygodit'sagiantlizard!" she screamed in a single breath as she tightly clutched on to his arms.

He lightly chuckled at her amusing reaction, causing her to look up at him in annoyance. "What are you laughing at?" she asked grumpily. When she realized how close they were (and that she was holding on to him for dear life), she reeled back in panic, only to be held back by his arms, which he wrapped around her.

"Let go of me!" she exclaimed, blushing profusely and averting her gaze as she tried pushing him away.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly, slipping his arms from around her waist.

She started walking backwards in the general direction of the counter, trying to keep herself as far away as possible.

She placed a hand on the countertop and said, "Yeah, just fi–" She suddenly shrieked _again_, jumping in surprise when her hand came in contact with something rough and scaly – presumably the gecko.

She ran into his arms – _again_. "I guess you weren't okay then," he said as he held her in his arms. "But you should be fine now."

"I guess," she muttered, pressing her reddening cheeks on his chest so he couldn't see them.

An awkward silence ensued between them, mostly because Ino couldn't think up of anything to say.

"Um…" she finally uttered, "you can let go now."

"Do I have to?" he asked in what she hoped was a joking manner.

He let go of her, and she quickly hit him on the shoulder. "Baka," she told him, "you weren't supposed to keep hugging me! It's immoral to take advantage of a girl like that!" She only half-meant what she said, expecting that he hadn't quite realized the implied meaning of his actions. At least, that was what she thought until–

He suddenly pulled her towards him in a tight embrace. "You mean like this?"

"Sai, you idiot!" she shrieked.

-

_Darn it_, she thought, irritated, as she continued preening the pretty little rosebush on the rack before her. _He was only kidding around! That little imp! Hugging me to make me blush! On purpose too!_

She turned to look at the said imp who was busy watering the plants on the other side of the greenhouse. He was humming cheerfully to himself (at least he seemed to be), much to her annoyance. _Oh, how innocent he looks_, she thought, seething in anger. _I bet he got that devilish side of his from hanging around Naruto too much._

He suddenly turned to face her, giving her a friendly wave, which she sourly ignored.

She returned her gaze to the rosebush and began preening it with a vengeance.

"Whoops," she said all of a sudden, realizing that she had taken away too much off one side of the poor plant in her blind rage. She sighed in dismay, silently scolding herself for taking her anger out on the bush. _On the bright side_, she thought hopefully, _now I know we're still friends._

"Hey, Ino-chan, think fast," came his usual cheery voice.

The blond kunoichi turned around, only to get soaked by a shower of hose water.

"Sai!"

She gnashed her teeth in annoyance as he waved at her in an all too angelic manner.

"Darn you, Naruto, for being such a bad influence…" she muttered under her breath as she grabbed a nearby pot filled with soil. She hid the container behind her back and started walking towards the unsuspecting Anbu. "Hey, Sai-kun!" she called out to him. "I have a surprise for you!"

-

**Author's note: **Drabbles are not really my thing, but I plan to make this a weekly installment. I have a few more to submit, but I'd appreciate reviews. Review please!

**Next installment:** 4. The Date

**Side notes: **

-Geckos are not our enemies. In fact, I like them. They eat cockroaches and attack mice and rats. Don't ask how I know.

-Starting to look more like chapters than drabbles? Maybe.


	4. 4 The Date

A Mask of Emotion

Drabbles between Ino and Sai.

Done during boring lectures of Physics, Biology and English. I thank you all, Sir One, Sir Oh and Ma'am Unorthodox. Love ya all.

For my friend _artsydolle`_, inosai rocks better than shikaino…

**Disclaimer: **I cannot claim ownership over such a magnificent work as _Masashi Kishimoto-sensei_'s _Naruto_.

**4. The Date **written April 28, 2007

"What do you mean it's great?!" shrieked Ino, her whole face turning red. "It's horrible, horrible, horrible!"

Sakura uncovered her ears and shook her head to get rid of the ringing sensation. "What do you mean it's horrible?" she inquired. "Your mom told you to bring a date for your cousin's wedding. It's the perfect chance to ask Sai to be your date, but you think it's horrible. What's wrong?"

It was their day off, and the two were sitting together on a bench in Konoha Park, just hanging out.

"Because we're just friends!"

"That's the point. You need to ask him out. You don't expect him to make the first move. He's Sai. _Sai_. His comprehension for romance is _zero_."

"Are you sure about that?"

"What do you mean–"

"Oi! Sakura-chan! Ino-chan!" came the familiar greeting. The two girls turned to see Naruto approaching them, Sai following behind him.

"Hey, Naruto, Sai," Sakura greeted them nonchalantly.

Sai gave them that signature smile of his, and Ino suddenly jumped to her feet and said, "Hey!"

"What's up, Gorgeous?"

Sakura looked up to her friend and was surprised when the pretty blonde suddenly and unexpectedly blurted out, "Sai, I was wondering if you'd like to be my date for my cousin's wedding."

The carnation-haired kunoichi gawked at her friend in shock, not expecting her friend to change her mind so easily.

Ino simply looked on at the young Anbu with a blank expression on her face, while he could only blink back in response, not knowing what to say.

Naruto was just as surprised to hear Ino's abrupt suggestion but was the first to react. He lightly elbowed the raven-haired boy and said, "Say yes."

"Uhn… Yes, Ino-chan, I'd love to," he finally answered, though his face showed that he was more or less unsure of the whole matter.

"It's this Saturday," Ino said almost mechanically. "Wear formal attire and meet me at the flower shop at seven am. I'll be seeing you then." She suddenly pulled Sakura to her feet and commenced to pulling her friend away, leaving the two boys staring after them.

As they exited the park, the pink-haired girl suddenly yelled, "What just happened?!"

A panicked look appeared on Ino's face, and she suddenly started shrieking. "Ohmygod! What did I just do?! I just asked him out! To my cousin's wedding! Where my family will be! What was I thinking?!"

Despite her super strength, Sakura found it difficult to restrain her panicking friend. "Calm down!" she ordered. "Stop freaking out!"

"Freaking out? Who's freaking out?" she wailed.

"Oi! You two okay over there?" Coming up to them was Naruto, a worried look on his face. Sai was not too far behind him.

"We're fine. We're just–" Sakura was caught off guard as Ino started pulling her away. "Uh… see you guys later!"

Sai finally caught up to Naruto and asked, "What happened?"

The blond boy shrugged and said, "I dunno. Maybe Ino was just excited."

"Excited?"

-

"Ino, Stop that! You look like a raging lunatic!"

Sakura was sitting on Ino's bed, watching the blonde run around the room in a panicked daze, all the while throwing garments around, opening and closing drawers, rummaging through dressers for accessories and cursing under her breath for not thinking when she asked Sai to be her date.

"I don't know what to do!" she wailed.

"First thing you should do is calm down," her bestfriend told her.

Ino finally consented and stopped her 'pacing'. She bellyflopped unto her bed and buried her face into the bed sheet.

"What was it you meant when you said you weren't sure about him… you know… just being…" Sakura let her voice trail, hoping that her friend would fill in the blanks for her.

The blond kunoichi merely played with the fabric of the bed sheet with an index finger.

Realizing that an answer was not forthcoming, the pink-haired medic remarked, "You like him a lot, don't you?"

"Yeah…" came her muffled reply. "But why is it so different…? From when I used to like Sasuke?"

"Maybe because it used to be just infatuation."

Ino got up on her elbows and asked, "Do I really like Sai that much?"

Sakura didn't need to answer that.

-

That Saturday wasn't as horrible as she had imagined. Sai behaved appropriately, and he was strangely… _normal_. Ino kept a straight face despite her family's consistent joking about the two of them dating. _Oh, I wish_, were her thoughts.

The bride looked lovely in the white kimono and elaborate headpiece for the wedding. The ceremony ended without a glitch, and everyone enjoyed the reception.

"So… how was the wedding?" Ino asked as Sai walked her home that night.

"It was nice," he replied. She could tell he was trying to suppress a laugh. "Do you always have family gatherings like this?"

"It's not really a family gathering, but… We're ninja. We don't get to gather as often."

"Your family was very nice."

Ino almost choked on nothing. She recalled that it was her dad who was spearheading all the dating jokes. She was certain he couldn't wait for _her_ turn at the ceremony. It was a dad thing she didn't even wish to comprehend. And the rest of her clan. Oh, _her clan_. Everyone kept egging him on. Family thing.

"Nice?!" she said sarcastically. "Nice enough to keep teasing me all night!"

They reached the Yamanaka flowershop, and she turned to face him.

"Ino…" He hesitated. "You won't appreciate something until you lose it, so I hope you realize how important your family is…" From the way he said that, she knew she had hit a sour note.

"I'm sorry, Sai, I didn't mean it that way…" she started. She knew about him not having a family of his own, and she felt horrible at having put down her own in front of him.

The expression on his face returned to its usual cheerfulness, though she knew it was hollow. "Goodnight, Ino-chan," he said, giving her hand a light squeeze on the shoulder before turning to leave. "Bye."

"Goodnight," she muttered, knowing that it didn't matter whether he heard her or not.

-

**Author's note: **Drabbles are not really my thing, but I plan to make this a weekly installment (though this is one week and two days late). I have a few more to submit, but I'd appreciate reviews. Review please!

**Next Installment:** 5. Cat

**Side notes: **

-I'm not sure about the Yamanaka, but the Nara clan is a ninja clan from what I gather. I figure that they are more or less similar, so I just assumed it.


	5. 5 Cat

A Mask of Emotion

Drabbles between Ino and Sai.

Done during the long first days of class… when we had absolutely nothing to do… oh, and thanks, Your Excellence Sir, for not showing up for class lol…

For my friend _artsydolle`_, inosai rocks better than shikaino…

**Disclaimer: **I cannot claim ownership over such a magnificent work as _Masashi Kishimoto-sensei_'s _Naruto_.

**5. Cat **written June 4, 2007

"Sai, what happened to your face?!" Ino remarked in surprise when she saw her friend's face covered with scratches.

The Anbu merely shrugged, smiling his innocent smile as she made her way from behind the counter. "It's nothing really," he said. "Just a few scratches."

"Let me see them," insisted the blonde, examining his face. "They might scar." (That would've been horrible, right?)

"Don't worry, I already put medicinal cream on them. They're just cat scratches. Nothing deadly."

"Cat?" she asked, surprised. "Didn't know you had one."

"Just a stray," he replied. "Been hanging around my apartment, so I decided to take it in as my pet. Unfortunately, it has the whole master-pet relationship confused."

"Say what?"

-

Napping on Sai's couch was a big fluffy gray cat, seemingly too comfortable in its position.

"What a big cat," Ino remarked in awe as she gazed at it from the doorway.

"Watch," Sai told her as he strolled into the room. The cat's ears perked up instantly as it woke up, jumping to its paws and hissing at its supposed owner.

The ebony-haired shinobi walked past the furious creature and went into the kitchen. Ino saw the cat follow after him with the same haughty expression on its face. When Sai emerged with a bowl of something, presumably sardines or seafood of that sort, the feline jumped at his legs, clawing at him for the meal.

Sai did his best to place the bowl on the floor without getting scratched. The cat eagerly pounced on the dish as soon as it was placed down.

"See?" Sai remarked with a heavy sigh as he sat down on his couch. "I didn't know cats were so… demanding…"

Ino cautiously made her way to the couch, eyeing the animal warily and hoping it wouldn't take out its anger on her. She sat beside Sai and said, "I've seen tamer strays. You were just unlucky to chance upon the really scary one. I'm afraid it's already taken over your territory."

"What can I do?" he asked worriedly. "It's a stressful situation."

"I don't know. I – eeek!" She suddenly jumped, throwing herself at Sai – again. "What was that?!" she wailed, clinging to him really hard. "Something furry and wet touched me!"

"Uh… Ino-chan," Sai said hesitantly. "I think you better look."

The blonde turned and saw the big gray cat at the foot of the couch where her leg had been. Surprisingly, it was purring rather cheerfully.

"Get – it – away – from- me –" Ino muttered, a look of dread on her face. She was pulling her legs up as far away from the feline as possible, almost placing them on Sai's lap.

"That's strange," he remarked as the cat started rubbing its back on the couch. "It never acted like that with guests before. It even chased Naruto out."

"What?!" she wailed, tightening the hold around his neck.

"Don't worry, I think it likes you."

"WHAT?! Why me?!"

"Why not?"

"It's so scary!" she yelled.

"Not when it's acting like that," Sai told her, rather pleased with his pet's new refreshing behavior. "Come on, Ino-chan, get off me and give the cat a chance."

Realizing that she was practically sitting on him, she plopped on the couch beside him, her legs still pulled up towards her body.

She took another glance at the feline. It did look … cute… sort of…

"Hey, kitty," she said reluctantly, leaning towards it. Almost immediately, the cat jumped unto her lap started making itself comfortable, making her start in surprise.

"Sai…" she groaned.

"Just calm down," he said.

She stroked the animal's back reluctantly and received cheerful purrs from it. "It _is_ sort of cute…"

"You… tamed it?" Sai uttered, surprised. He held out his hand to stroke it but ended up almost getting scratched again. The cat hissed at him, arching his back. "Or not…"

Ino continued stroking the gray cat, which seemed to easily calm it. "You know, I could get used to this."

"Maybe you could," he remarked. "It seems happier with you."

"You're giving it to me?" She flipped the cat on its back and started rubbing its belly. "That'll be great!"

Sai cocked his head sidewards as if he'd just seen something peculiar. "Oh, wait, Ino-chan, I think I know why it was so aggressive."

"What?" she inquired, confused.

"The… you know… the…"

"Huh?"

"The cat is…" Sai grabbed the cat despite its resistance and held it out for her to see.

"Oh," she remarked.

-

"Sai, why'd you call me out here?" Ino asked as she slipped out of the flower shop door. "You could just come in."

"I doubt it," he replied. He pointed at the glass door and said, "Your boyfriend's standing guard." Indeed, behind the door was the big gray cat, hissing at him threateningly.

The blond kunoichi giggled at her new cat's behavior. It was a tomcat after all, and it probably had an overdose of testosterone or something. "So… you want him back?"

-

**Author's note: **Oh crap! This is so late! Who cares about a weekly schedule! I have a few more to submit, but I'd appreciate reviews. Review please!

**Next Installment:** 6. Rain

**Side notes: **-Some male animals tend to be aggressive with male humans. Must be the high testosterone level. Something like that. ^^


	6. 6 Rain

A Mask of Emotion

Drabbles between Ino and Sai.

Done during the long first days of class… when we had absolutely nothing to do… oh, and thanks, Your Excellence Sir, for not showing up for class lol…

For my friend _artsydolle`_, inosai rocks better than shikaino…

**Disclaimer: **I cannot claim ownership over such a magnificent work as _Masashi Kishimoto-sensei_'s _Naruto_.

**6. Rain **written September 21, 2007

Ino looked up at the dark clouds looming overhead. It'll be raining soon. Thoughts of running home as fast as possible crossed her mind. The ominous weather wouldn't be much of a problem if she had brought an umbrella with her. But she didn't have one, since the sky had been clear before she made the delivery earlier on. Why do clouds have to move so fast?

She walked down the street quickly, people hastening around her as well. Everyone was in a hurry to finish their work, closing up or making their way home. Funny how some clouds could just ruin one's day.

Familiar (and loud) voices reached her ears as she approached Ichiraku's. It was Sakura's team no doubt. She slipped into the store and witnessed Naruto and Sasuke slurping down the last of their soup and slamming down the bowls on the counter – at the exact same time.

"I win!" they chorused, both out of breath. "No! I win!"

Sai and Sakura, both sitting beside the two, laughed in amusement. It was like watching a circus act for them, the grueling boys acting like mirror images and practically doing everything the other one was.

Naruto and Sasuke started ranting on who was supposed to have won, each calling the other a cheater and challenging the other to a rematch. Naruto was really loud, but Sasuke matched his volume without any hesitation.

"What's going on?" Ino asked Sakura and Sai, though a guess would have sufficed.

"Another rivalry match between the two most powerful shinobi of our generation," teased Sakura. She heard something threatening/weird/obscene escape from one of the boys' lips, and she suddenly had the urge to discipline them. "Stop that, you two! You're an embarrassment to Konoha, acting like that!"

Teuchi, the Ichiraku's store owner, laughed at the trio's behavior. "Like a bunch of kids, aren't they?" he remarked. "Don't worry now! No one can hear you! It's about to rain, so the streets are deserted!" He turned towards the stoves and started helping his daughter with the cooking.

"Yeah, like a bunch of kids…" Sai echoed thoughtfully to himself.

"Eh?" Ino asked. "Did you say something, Sai?"

"You know, sometimes when I'm with the three of them, I don't feel like I'm part of the group."

Ino stared at him in surprise. "What are you talking about?!" she exclaimed, but caught herself and lowered her voice, in case the others heard her (which was not actually possible with their volume). She knew he had been giving an extra effort to act normal and make more friends, so seeing him feel out of place amongst his friends stirred some… emotions… "They're your friends, aren't they?"

"Yes, but… you do know that they're extremely close, right? And I know for certain how strong their bonds are, being childhood friends. My nii-san and I were really close back then too. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura have been through a lot, and they still managed to retain those bonds. I, on the other hand, am just the new guy around. I don't have the same bonds they do. There isn't any room for me."

Ino gaped at him incredulously. "You're kidding, right?"

He just gave her one of his frozen smiles.

Seeing that smile would've made her sad if she wasn't already steamed up.

"Listen up, you," she said, almost growling. "You're only feeling that way because you don't join them as much as you should. You're the one letting yourself get left out."

Sai looked at her with the same expression, unconvinced.

"Hell yeah!"

"As if!"

"Shut up, you two idiots!"

"Stop butting in!"

The voices started growing loudly behind them but were then subsequently drowned out by a sudden torrent of rain, roaring on fiercely. Everyone suddenly turned towards the open side of the Ichiraku's, staring at the rain as if it was an unexpected guest.

"First one to get wet wins!" Naruto shouted without a thought, rushing out into the downpour. Sasuke too, without a thought, followed suit.

"Idiots!" Sakura yelled after them. "Come back here!" She marched off into the rain, most likely also without a thought, just to yell at them some more.

Ino and Sai watched as the trio chased each other under the downpour, getting wet and looking like they were having fun despite the supposed fight.

"Well, will you be joining them?" Ino asked after a few moments.

Sai looked at her with a questioning look on his face.

Another explanation. "What does it feel like to have your childhood cut short?" she asked. "We all know that. As ninja, we were trained to become the lifeblood of our village, to protect it and take care of it. Naruto's team is pretty much the strongest team of shinobi around. But look at them. After a while, they start regressing back into the little children they never got to be. Isn't it like reliving childhood again? If you're convinced that childhood friends retain their bonds easier, why don't you take this chance and relive your childhood with them?"

Sai averted his gaze from her and looked out into the wet and puddle-ridden street. Ino felt like a monk saying a sermon to a disinterested audience.

"Thanks, Ino-chan."

"Eh?"

Without reservation, he suddenly took her by the wrist and pulled her into the rain.

"I didn't mean me too!" she shrieked as she inevitably got soaked as well.

The rain stopped about fifteen minutes later, and the sun shone brightly behind the sparse remnants of the army of clouds that had caused the flash torrent. Some Konoha citizens who had just reopened their windows and doors to welcome in the missed sunlight were greeted by the sight of a group of teenage ninja walking down the street, soaked to the skin without a care in the world and laughing like a bunch of giddy kids.

-

**Author's note: **Like seriously. Sorry for this being late… lol. Review please!

**Next Installment:** 7. Romance

**Side notes: **

**-**It's been raining here like crazy for the past few weeks. I had previously planned to write about rain, but this story was just inspired yesterday… (in Math class lol).


	7. 7 Romance

A Mask of Emotion

Drabbles between Ino and Sai.

Written when we almost had no classes the Tuesday prior.

For my friend _artsydolle`_, inosai rocks better than shikaino…

**Disclaimer: **I cannot claim ownership over such a magnificent work as _Masashi Kishimoto-sensei_'s _Naruto_.

**7. Romance **written January 29, 2008 (Yeah, I know it's been such a long time)

"Ohayou, Ino-chan."

"Sai-kun!" exclaimed the blonde, almost falling off her seat. _What was he doing here?!_

She had been sitting on her room's window seat, reading a paperback book, when the raven-haired shinobi seemed to have suddenly popped out of nowhere.

"Just dropping by to say hi," he said, the usual cheerful expression on his face.

"You climbed up to my window!" she said in disbelief. "Don't you Anbu guys use the door?!" Her room was on the second floor, just above the flower shop and directly facing the street. _Just what would people say when they see Sai sitting on her windowsill?! _"Get in, already."

"I'll keep that in mind," he teased, easing his way in. He sat down beside her. "Ah, so what do we have here?"

Ino slammed her book close before he could peek into it, making sure to hide the cheesy front cover. "It's nothing," she said, blushing. "Just a book."

"Just a book? But I could've sworn you were giggling at it before I came up."

"Don't be ridiculous." She laughed breezily.

Sai smiled. She could tell he was up to something. "What is it about?"

"Uh, just the usual…"

"By usual, you do mean romance, right?"

"Romance? Of course not" was her guilty denial, edging the book to her side, where he couldn't reach it.

"Eh? But isn't that what girls read most of the time? Well, that's what I've read…"

"_Normal_ girls, maybe. But you see, I'm a ninja, Sai. A _kunoichi_. We're not as… vulnerable to such emotions."

"Emotions?" he asked, what seemed to be genuine curiosity on his face. "Like infatuation? And love?"

"Correction, _romantic_ love." She dropped the book at her feet and kicked it under her bed. There was no doubt he would have noticed that, but she didn't care. Even a socially inept like him would understand that it would be rude for a guy to mess with the trash under a girl's bed. Common sense, really.

"So, what feelings would you be… vulnerable to?" he asked, seemingly interested.

She shrugged. "Camaraderie in battle… Friendship… Filial love…"

"I see…" He turned to the desk beside him, running his fingers down the spines of a stack of books. "So I suppose _these_ books contain those…"

Ino gasped aloud, her mouth hanging open. She had a sudden urge to lunge at the books and burn them somehow, just so he couldn't read what they contained.

He smiled at her. Though little had changed with the usual expression on his face, there was something smug about _this_ smile.

"Uh, they're… they're…"

"Ino-chan, you don't have to be embarrassed about reading these." He picked up one of the books to her horror.

"Sai, don't read that," she said, reaching for them as he held them away from her hands.

"Come on, I'm just curious."

"There's nothing in them! It's _always_ about the pretty, stupid, fickle girl who's not satisfied in life and falls in love with an equally stupid and fickle yet extremely handsome and rich guy; they fall in love at first sight, a third wheel comes along, they persevere, the parents intervene, they still fight them off, and they live happily ever after, rich and happy. They're all the same!"

He dropped the book in her hands. "Well, that's not much of a story," he said in a bored tone.

"Trust me," she said, an embarrassed shade of red, "I've read enough to know."

"So it's like Icha Icha then," he mused.

"What the!" she suddenly shouted in shock. "Don't tell me you read that!"

Sai laughed. "I won't tell you if I did then."

"Don't compare the books I read to that… that…" She kicked the second book under her bed as well. She looked away, blushing profusely. This conversation was getting too embarrassing.

"Well, Ino-chan," the dark-haired shinobi said, seeing as the blonde wasn't likely to start off from where they left, "if all of these books have the same content, then why do you keep reading them?"

"To pass time…"

"Are you sure? I've read that…"

"Okay, fine, I admit it," she yielded, before his textbook definitions embarrassed her all the more, "I get a kick out of torturing myself over fantasies I'll never experience, okay? Even though I know exactly what's going to happen next, and I know they're all really stupid, and I know it'll always be a happy ending…" She groaned. "Well… I'm a kunoichi, so I shouldn't be messing with my head like this, knowing that romance is a lot harder when you spend every waking hour of your existence expecting death… knowing that you have to surrender your forehead protector when you decide to settle down… Being a kunoichi and being a wife are two conflicting things, and -"

"Ino-chan, aren't you getting ahead of yourself?" interrupted Sai.

She groaned again. "If only _someone_ would pick up my _hints_, uh, I mean, yeah, there's being a girlfriend as well, and uh, look at the time! I forgot I promised Shikamaru and Chouji I'd buy them lunch." She got up, pulling Sai to his feet and practically dragging him towards the door.

"But, Ino, it's already past lunchtime, and-"

"… I mean, I can't keep them waiting? Right, Sai?" She commenced to leading him out of her room, across the hall, down the stairs, into the flower shop and out the front door. "Okay, bye bye, please use the front door next time, ne? Ja ne." She waved goodbye, slamming the door in his face.

Sai stared blankly at the door. Pick up what? Her books on the floor? Didn't she drop those on purpose?

He scratched his head in confusion. Oh, well.

-

**Author's note: **Been too long! Sumimasen! I haven't spent as much time on MOE as I should have. See? I originally wrote this last year! Ugh. I'm staying at a dorm in my new school, so I left the notebook I wrote this in, so I had to derive this from memory (I'd only typed the first few lines, and the finished product is a bit far from my original work). I want to wrap this fic up, seeing as I'm not as obsessed with InoSai anymore (blame Suika, which I was obsessed with for a bit, then DBG, my SasuSaku fic I'm centralized around) so the next installment might be the last one. Which reminds me, I have to write it. That is, if I can think of something for it.

Any ideas? If you have nice suggestions, I can continue making drabbles…


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